PAUL TAGGART
Six years after the construction of the Evenden Road/Pakowhai Road roundabout from which the northern arterial route to Havelock North was to flow, the road still hasn't been built.
The connection is vital as Havelock expands and its residents and businesses need to move themselves and their produce to Napier
and further north.
The project was knocked back by a long and expensive journey to the Privy Council, via the Maori Land Court in 2001, when Maori land owners affected by the plan objected to the route.
Unfortunately, the ruling was less than straightforward. Although the judges found that the Maori Land Court wasn't immune from designations of land for public purposes, they also made observations that because of the spiritual relationship Maori had with land, an alternative that would ideally lessen the impact on Maori land should be pursued.
So it was a confusing, bob-each-way sort of ruling - the council could push ahead, but they couldn't really and should change the route. It has resulted in years of frustration and delay.
But now the Hastings District Council is considering completing the job.
It plans to lobby Land Transport New Zealand for $7.1 million of the $11.5 million it needs to construct the road, which will link the Napier-Hastings Expressway via Evenden Road to Havelock North.
The council is now working on designating a route, which has variations to the one proposed five years ago.
Once that is complete, it can submit the project to Land Transport New Zealand, which in turn will consider it against other national roading projects.
If the council is unsuccessful in obtaining a subsidy, it will apply for the cash it needs from the regional petrol tax fund to construct the 7.5km arterial route.
Since the Privy Council hearing, the district council has been working with landowners in a bid to find a solution to the stalemate. It must think it has the answer as it has now put the issue back in the public arena.
And not before time. The road is necessary. Even if things go smoothly with the new proposal it will be at least six or seven years before the road will be operational.
Consultation and consideration for everyone's opinion are good things, but there comes a time when the benefits for the majority should take precedence.
